Wicked vs. Gladiator II: Box Office Showdown on November 22nd!

Get ready for a box office showdown! Two huge movies, Wicked and Gladiator II, are set to clash on November 22nd, 2024, and early data suggests a close race!

Wicked vs. Gladiator II: A Box Office Battle

This year's big box office battle is shaping up to be epic, and this one features two wildly different movies battling it out. Wicked is the musical adaptation of the Broadway hit. A film that tells only half of the story to be continued in a later date! Expect an incredible cast with stars like Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. On the other hand, we get Gladiator II, which continues Ridley Scott's amazing historical epic from 2000. This amazing sequel brings Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Joseph Quinn to the big screen!

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Early Data Reveals a Close Race

2024 Box Office Prediction Data from The Quorum / Puck Image

Some interesting data has emerged, showing that both films are neck and neck and with a survey conducted by Puck showing audience interest and awareness levels. Gladiator II had 49% of respondents interested while Wicked sits just a bit higher, with 50% interested. When you examine brand awareness, Wicked holds a slightly larger edge with 50% of respondents being aware of the film compared to 43% for Gladiator II.

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Barbenheimer 2024?

A composite image of Russell Crowe's Maximus from Gladiator over a picture of Paul Mescal Image

With both films premiering on the same day, November 22nd, this release date is quickly shaping up to be similar to the epic Barbenheimer event of 2023. The movies being released have contrasting themes with Gladiator II, being a historical epic film similar to Oppenheimer which could be contrasted by Wicked's and Barbie's, themes and approach towards female audiences!

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Wicked's Edge

At this point, Wicked seems to have an early lead based on this survey, but this doesn’t guarantee its box office victory! It's just one factor to consider. A crucial detail that Wicked boasts is higher awareness and with more people aware of the musical adaptation, and more potentially fans might be coming to check it out. While that awareness can change with advertising! Even a smaller marketing campaign can change that dramatically! This makes things really interesting for the months to come!

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Predictions

What really makes this such a fun debate for all? The movie with a huge stage adaptation may be more recognizable than a historical sequel! There could be plenty of reasons!

It might be because Wicked is more recently known compared to Gladiator.
It's possible, because Wicked's ties to The Wizard of Oz increased awareness significantly and helped increase name recognition substantially.

Given these factors, Wicked may have a strong advantage. That includes, the popularity of the Broadway production and also its family-friendly elements. While Gladiator II may still be a big hit, this particular data is likely suggesting the most anticipated release, at least from these predictions will be Wicked. That might change over time! This clash looks to create a fun clash and is sure to set off an entertaining box office war between these iconic productions! Make sure you don't miss these mega hits at theaters!